Audio Video News

Look out, Blu-ray. Video on demand may deliver the high-def goods to homes before your shiny discs even make it into stores. And here's a nasty twist: This may mark the first use of selectable output control to turn off the analog component video interface.

Content Agenda reports that the Motion Picture Association of America has filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission for a waiver from federal rules prohibiting selectable output control in cable TV distribution. The aim would be to encrypt high-def content traveling through the HDMI interface. Since component video can't be encrypted, it has to be shut down, say the studios.

But that would effectively disable early-generation HDTVs with component inputs and no DVI or HDMI. It would also prevent pre-HDMI surround receivers from passing high-def video signals. And it would frustrate custom installers and other people using component video as a workaround for notoriously prolific HDMI handshake problems between signal sources and displays.

The attraction is that consumers would get access to high-def movie content after theatrical release and before disc release. You could see movies on HD VOD before they got to Blu-ray. At a premium price, of course. But there's another price to be paid--setting a legal precedent allowing the studios to shut down component video at will. Still interested?